Dear Zach Randolph

via The Indy Channel:

An NBA player and former Marion basketball standout has been implicated in an Indianapolis drug investigation. According to a probable cause affidavit, a trusted police informant identified Memphis Grizzlies player Zach Randolph as a major marijuana supplier in Indianapolis, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported. Narcotics officers were staking out a suspected drug house on Indianapolis' north side two weeks ago when they pulled over Arthur Boyd, 32, soon after he left the residence, near 75th Street and Binford Avenue, police said.

According to the affidavit, the Cadillac Escalade that Boyd was driving was registered to Randolph, and police found marijuana and ammunition stowed inside. "One of his vehicles had what we call hidden compartments that contained suspected narcotics, that being marijuana," said Lt. Jeff Duhamell. Based on information found in the Escalade, police later raided a northeast side storage facility, where they said Randolph rents four lockers. According to the affidavit, a police K-9 alerted to controlled substances in two of the four units, and police found more cars with secret compartments inside.

This recession that is passing over us has been one of the biggest shot to the American ego. People all over the country have had to swallow their pride and maybe admit they were too loose with their money. They may have cut back on ridiculous expenses or even taken second and third jobs. I know the recession hit hard, but Zach, did it really warrant starting your very own drug empire? Last week, a car registered to you was caught with pounds of weed and choppers hidden in the side panels. When they traced a storage lead they had, the authorities found 4 storage units under your name, two of which had 'controlled substances' in them. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to live out a Jeezy x Gucci Mane mixtape..

But seriously, Zach, what made you think being involved in drug pushing was a good idea? You already had a bad rap from getting caught selling an illegal gun in high school. Then, when you got to the A, you were one of the main heads making headlines on the Portland JailBlazers, getting arrested 9 times before getting shipped to the Knicks, Clippers and now the Grizzlies. You finally start turning your stuff around, finally giving the Grizzlies a solid veteran and pushing for the Playoffs. Hell, you made the All-Star team for the West. Add to that the $70 million you've made over your career, and you should be living it up right now, not being a major marijuana supplier in Indianapolis. Just think, you could be gearing up for next year, awaiting a prize free agent and the players already on the roster getting better. Instead, if you get caught up with a drug charge, you might not see the court for a while. We all saw what happened with Gilbert Arenas, even though his team threw him under the bus. At least the Memphis Grizzlies are desperate gracious enough to stand behind you. This is a crazy thing to happen, especially with how much the NBA is pushing a cleaner, family-oriented image. Guns in lockers and Indianapolis drug kingpins - The NBA #wherecaringhappens

Dear Washington Wizards

What did he really do to deserve this??

via The Washington Post:

Gilbert Arenas was charged Thursday with a single count of carrying a pistol without a licence, a felony that carries a five-year sentence, but the Washington Wizards guard has reached a plea agreement that would result in much less or even no jail time, several sources close to the case said.

Arenas is scheduled to enter his plea on Friday afternoon before D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin. Even if prosecutors agree not to seek prison for Arenas, it will be up to Morin whether to sentence Arenas to probation, community service, a fine or some combination. The judge, a former defense attorney, also could send Arenas to jail.

Regardless of whether Arenas goes to jail, the star's future in the city that once embraced his jocular personality and his ability to hit clutch jump shots is in doubt. The 28-year-old former all star, whose birthday parties made the television news, has been suspended indefinitely by the NBA, and it is unclear whether a felony conviction would give the Wizards the right to void the remaining four years of his six-year, $111 million contract.

There are certain moments when the direction of the law makes absolutely no sense. It's a sad day when the justice system completely overshoots it's boundaries and makes a move to severe for it's own good. That said, Wizards, it's an even sadder day knowing that you threw your player under the bus for something that turned out to be a joke (by some accounts). Yes, Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton (who should be kissing Gilbert's ass for the rest of his life) were in the wrong for both having guns in a locker room, and for making light of it afterward. Gilbert is getting charged with an unlicensed pistol (funny, because Dick Cheney can ACTUALLY shoot some one, and not even be arrested), facing 5 years of a felony, and you guys decide to turn your back on him.

Not only is that foul ethically, but Gilbert has done soooo much more for the Wizards that Caron Butler or Antawn Jamison. Antawn is too scared to take the big shots, and Caron Butler has been playing terribly this year. In fact, the first player you should be cutting ties with is Caron. At least Gilbert is playing like a shell of himself. We could just blame it on the government's knack for knocking black athletes harder than anyone. At the end of the day, had you guys just stuck by Arenas, you might not have won a 'ship, but you wouldn't be poised to take a nosedive in the East. Too bad Javaris didn't get the long arm of the law.


Can anyone deny how ill Gil is??

Dear Gilbert Arenas & Javaris Crittenton

Replace the sneakers with a gambling debt, and you have the story below...

via Associated Press:

The investigation of Gilbert Arenas(notes) and the guns he brought to the Verizon Center took a much more serious turn on Friday amid a report that he and Washington Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton(notes) allegedly drew on each other during a locker-room argument over a gambling debt.

Arenas responded with a flurry of messages on Twitter, at times making light of the news but also making one tweet that read somewhat like a denial: “I understand this is serious..but if u ever met me you know i dont do serious things im a goof ball this story today dont sound goofy to me.”

If there's one thing that the NBA was known for last decade, it was being the home of the most thuggish athletes in all of sports. That said, David Stern (as much as I dislike some of his practices) has made a valiant effort to try and shed that image. By placing emphasis on character, community service, and imposing some questionable rules (eg: dress code, Twitter, personal conduct, etc.), he's cleaned up the way the game is viewed. And after all of that, we have to turn a locker room into the Wild West??

Gilbert and Javaris, you guys are on one of the most disappointing teams in the league, (sad that DC is the home of two disappointing teams) and haven't been able to put together more than two wins in a row all season. You're in the bottom of your division and 12th in the East. That being the case, why the hell were the two of you making high stakes bets?? Shouldn't you guys be, you know, lamenting in your mediocrity, or maybe even practicing?? And then to make matters worse, the two of you got so engrossed in the bet that you decided to pull guns out on one another. What kind of bet was that imperative, that it would require the use of firearms to defend or acquire one's winnings? Javaris, I guess being a bust, and all, you decided to take up a second career as a bookie. And Gilbert, in addition to getting your wife snatched by Shaq, you're drowning your sorrows in gambling? Come on, guys. This is sad.

It's even funnier that both of you had unloaded guns. So in addition to being trigger-happy gambling addicts, neither of you even had the sense to know how to work them. This is a damn shame, not only for the both of you, but for the Wizards and the NBA. Gilbert, you've always been one of my favorite players on and off the court, and Javaris, I always loved your potential. But, DAMN. Nothing can erase a 'nigga moment' in the NBA...